synergy English · revision 1038

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsɪnəɹd͡ʒi/; /ˈsɪnəd͡ʒi/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-new|synergia]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|συνεργία|tr=sunergía|t=joint work, cooperation]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''sunergós'' “working together”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[af|grc|σύν|ἔργον|tr1=sún|tr2=érgon|t1=together|t2=work]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cooperation, in a general sense, now obsolete (1660);^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) Etymonline describes it as a specialized theological sense.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1847 the word was taken up in physiology for the combined action of a group of organs, such as nerves or muscles,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) a sense introduced in German by the pathologist Jacob Henle.^(Etymonline) It was later applied to drugs and other agents whose combined effect is greater than the sum of their separate effects.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary) The sense of increased effectiveness from cooperation is recorded from 1957,^(OED 1989) and in business it came to mean the advantage expected from combining companies or groups.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1660 – cooperation (obsolete).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1847 – the combined action of bodily organs.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1957 – increased effectiveness from combined action.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The interaction of two or more agents or forces whose combined effect is greater than the sum of their separate effects; [[synergism]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the merged parts of a [[corporation]], that produces an enhanced combined effect.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The cooperative action of two or more muscles, nerves or [[drug|alt=drugs]].^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[energy]]

+ * [[monergism]]

+ * [[synergetic]]

+ * [[synergic]]

+ * [[synergism]]

+ * [[synergist]]

+ * [[synergistic]]

+ * [[organ]]

+ * [[work]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Wiktionary notes that in business contexts the word is often discouraged as a corporate [[buzzword]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}